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This Wood Stork was spotted on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 on the shore of the lovely little golf course pond at the Torri Pines golf course in The Villages, FL. I had posted this past week about several different birds spotted there during that photo-taking visits.

We have a few Wood Storks here all year around but we do see more of these big birds in the winter months. The Wood Storks are usually seen in very small groups or as singles. I think I have only seen a larger group of maybe around a dozen Wood Storks together once here. Wood Storks mostly will hunt by scooping with their large sturdy bill into the water or softer mud. They eat small aquatic animals, aquatic insects, aquatic mollusks and these birds will occasionally eat grains roots and seeds.

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!

White Pelicans, Lesser Scaup ducks, Double-crested Cormorants, Seagulls, a Great Blue Heron, Great Egrets, and a lone Wood Stork were all spotted yesterday afternoon at the beautiful Torri Pines golf course pond along Buena Vista Blvd. in The Villages, FL. This spot is in a northern neighborhood here in The Villages.

The Wood Stork, the Double-crested Cormorants, Seagulls, Lesser Scaup ducks, and the White Pelicans are migratory birds from places up north and in the mid-west who have come south to enjoy our warmer weather during the harsh cold months. By the way, last evening I spotted about 200 White Pelicans at the Freedom Pointe lake (both sides). No pictures as I did not have my camera then.

I think a few of these pelicans pictured here were among those sleeping at Freedom Pointe as it was almost dark when I saw that huge flock last night. We sure enjoy seeing all of these lovely birds! Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy! P.S. This pond has developed a sink hole in it today (2/15/18) and is now rapidly draining. Don’t know when the needed repairs can be made by our community’s officials. I will let you know when I hear more. Wildlifewatcher.

A pair of Sandhill Cranes was seen on the Arnold Palmer Legends golf course off of CR 466 near Morse Blvd. in The Villages, FL on Friday. These birds appear to be yearlings and maybe are a couple. The big birds are often spotted on the edges of golf courses here.

I was excited to see the cranes near the fence next to the multi-modal trail where we were driving in the golf cart. It certainly made it easy to get the snap-shots of the cranes. By the way, the grasses here in our area are going dormant due to the season and that is why many lawns are looking a lot more brown these days. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!

White Pelicans were seen on Freedom Pointe lake, which is the size of a very large pond, this afternoon. It looks as though a lot of molting is going on, doesn’t it? Those are white feathers all over the ground. There is usually a big gathering every winter of these younger White Pelicans at this particular lake.

The pelicans had a few Double-crested Cormorants, some Seagulls, a few White Ibis, and a lone Snowy Egret along with them today. I also noticed a pair of Egyptian Geese on the very far shore (not photographed). This spot is usually a good place to view the pelicans in Jan. and Feb. Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture. Enjoy!

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Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Permission to duplicate will only be granted for non-commercial use. Please contact me for permission before using the photograph. Thanks!

Wildlifewatcher.

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This blog is about enjoying the majesty and beauty of the animals and nature around us. While I appreciate wildlife and animal advocacy groups, this blog is not the spot to espouse causes but to celebrate wildlife.